If you are looking for non-gendered toys (not buying toys for girls or toys for boys) then we’ve got a fab list of ideas for kids toys. This is a place where toys don’t have gender!
Non-gendered toys is a thing now!
A whil ago, when Target in the US removed its signage for ‘boys toys’ and ‘girls toys,’ they were both applauded and chastised by the world. They were applauded for taking a stand against sexism and discrimination in labelling of their store and in particular their toy department.
They were chastised for succumbing to wave a feminist rhetoric that demands that both boys and girls can and do play with the same toys and toys shouldn’t be labelled for either gender. Regardless of your stance on the matter, the tide is a-changing and there is a general change of philosophy when advertising.
Non-gendered toys is the way forward for children across the world.
Best toys for girls AND best toys for boys
The best toys for girls are the ones that they are going to play with! And the best toys for boys are, yup, you guessed it, the ones they are going to play with. I will admit when I started writing this article, I thought I would find it easy to find a long list (and photos to match) of boys and girls playing with all the toys… but there are some that I still simply could not find!
When my son was small, I found it difficult to find a kitchen that wasn’t pink! Now there is more choice and a larger variety of colours. We have collated some here to help you if this is indeed your frustration also! We are sharing them here so you can easily find the best toys for girls and boys based on their interests and not what society says they ‘should’ be interested in.
Non-gendered dress up clothes
We love these dress up costumes for girls and boys that break with the stereotype roles we see too often in catalogues.
Find the scientist here
Find the Engineer Role Play Costume Dress-Up here
Find the non-gendered chefs here
A non-pink toy kitchen for boys and girls
Because boys and girls both might love to cook, we’ve found a non-pink toy kitchen to go with the non-gendered chefs costumes above! #winning
You can find this boys and girls children’s pretend kitchen right here.
Toys for 2 – 3 year old girls and boys
We love this non-gendered Fu T Engineer Multifunctional Kids Musical Learning Tool Workbench. A excellent choice of toys for 3 year old girls and boys who love to build and make things! You can find it here.
Toys for 4 – 5 year old girls and boys
By the ages for 4 and 5, kids are well established in the ‘let’s pretend’ world. We love this Wooden Make-a-Cake Mixer Set coupled with this Brew and Serve Wooden Coffee Maker Set and this Wooden Sandwich-Making Pretend Play Food Set and if they end up wanting to make us cake and coffee in the real world when they are older, due to our diligent ‘role playing’ with them as kids, who are we to complain?
Toys for 8 year old girls and boys
We found this Rainbow Scooter that (now that I’ve shown my son) he wants for Christmas… not only that but my 8 year old niece wants it too! Huzzah! I found the best toys for 8 year old girls AND 8 year old boys – a rainbow scooter! Who knew? You can find it here.
Toys for 10 year old girls and boys
Are you looking for a non-gendered toys or gifts for a child who loves to get outside and explore their world? I found these Compact Waterproof Travel Binoculars here that are perfect!
What about toys for 10 year old girls and 10 year old boys that love STEM? Check out this IQ Builder construction set here.
And we love these walkie-talkies for both girls and boys here.
Sexist stereotypes
Breaking down the sexist stereotypes starts with parents and educators. We also need to see companies advertising their toys with both girls and boys playing with toys that have been traditionally allocated to the oposite gender. As a parent, I know that parents will buy whatever they like and think that their kids will like, regardless of its colour or which aisle it is in at the store.
However, when we stop labelling toys as ‘girls toys’ and ‘boys toys’ we will not be subtly passing on the messages to our kids that a particular toy belongs to a specific gender. When toys are just toys we will be another step closer to equality of genders as our children grow into adulthood.
Should Australian toy stores follow suit?
Both boys and girls will cook. Why are the kitchens almost always pink? Men will be fathers. Why are dolls placed in the aisles with the ‘pink’ girls toys? So whilst we still see a clear division in our toy stores here in Australia with toys aisles for ‘girls toys’ and ‘boys toys’, the stores are getting smarter in their signage and even smarter in their advertising.
Do Australian families agree?
Boys will play with nail polish and girls will build forts and cubbies. IF THEY WANT TO! Do you agree? Or is traditional advertising affecting how we all see male and female roles in society? Will non-gendered toys catalogues make a difference to how you raise your children and the toys they like and don’t like? Tell us in comments below.
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